Box



April 18, 1961 C. E. HOWELL, JR., ET AL BOX 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5, 1958 r v6 WM M E 0 Wm w m flr f .0. M wm w w Z w W n April 1961 c. E. HOWELL, JR., ET AL 2,980,241

BOX

4 Shets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 5, 1958 m r m mw A f 4% m an BOX Chester E. Howell, Jr., and Harwood S. Taylor, Jr., El-

mn'a, N.Y., assignors to F. M. Howell & Co., Elmira, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 713,409

11 Claims. (Cl. 206-45.19)

This invention relates to containers for shipping and displaying merchandise, and more particularly to containers of this nature which are formed of light paper board, or similar material, and folded up into form from one or more die-cut blanks.

It has become the practice to pack and ship certain merchandise in containers in which it can be displayed.

This is particularly true of merchandise which is sold in sets, such as fiat tableware, kitchen utensils, and similar articles. The containers are usually provided with means to position and hold each article in a precise, predetermined place so as to create an attractive display.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a container of this general type which will be of improved appearance and construction.

A more specific object is to provide a container which is composed of a box and an insert and will be easy to assemble and of sturdy and rigid construction when assembled.

Another object is to provide such a container wherein the box and the insert when assembled will have the appearance of an integral structure.

A further object is the provision of an improved box and insert structure with means for locking the insert in the box which will be automatic in action when the insert is pressed into place in the box.

A still further object is the provision of structure of this kind which will provide for holding and locking the insert against both vertical and horizontal movement relative to the box.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of practical embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany, and form part of, this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembledbox and insert embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the insert, and a supporting member which may be used beneath it, removed from the box;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the box with the insert removed;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through the box and insert, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse section, taken on the line 5 --5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the box is formed;

Figure" 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the insert isformed;

atent Patented Apr. 18,1961

7 ice Figure 10 is a perspective view of the insert used in the structure shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 shows. two diagrammatic views of the steps of automatic locking of the insert in the box; and

Figure 12. is a section taken on the line 12-12 of Figure 11;

In general, the invention comprises a basic box of a modified double side wall, friction lock style with sloping inside walls on opposite sides which form angular hollow walls to which an insert may be securely locked.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first adverting to that form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 8, the basic box is shown at 1 and the insert at 2. The box has a bottom 3, straight, opposed sides 4, and angular, opposed sides 5. The insert is die-cut, so that when folded it will. fit within the box and form a third inclined side 6 a'nda pair of peaks, or ridges,v 7, which are cut to provide a plurality of slots 8 into which the articles to be packed are placed to hold themin place.

The box is formed from a blank such as that shown in Figure 6. The blank is die-cut and scored to-form a series of panels, flaps, tabs, etc. which can be folded up and interlocked to provide the basic box structure.

The blank has a central, rectangular panel 9' which forms the box bottom 3. Connected to the panel 9 along opposite score lines 10- are narrow panels 11, the full width of panel 9, which form the outside end walls of the box. Along the sides of panel 9 are score lines 12 which separate the bottom panel from panels 13 which are the full length ofpanel 9 and will form the outer side walls of the box. Additional side panels 14 project beyond the side panels 13 and are connected to them for their full lengths along score lines 15. Panels 14 are provided with tabs 16 projecting from their ends, and each panel 14 has its free edge notched inwardly of the side edges, as at 17. The panels 13 and 14 together form the straight sides 4.

The score lines 12 are continued along the ends of the end panels 11, as at 18, and the score lines 10 are continued along the. ends of the side panels 13, as at 19, to form corner members 20. Each of the corner members I is divided into two sections by a diagonal score line 21,

which emanates from the juncture of score lines-10 and 12 and projects beyond the center of the corner member. A slit 22, parallel to score line 19, extends from the end of the score line 21 to the side edge of the corner member. This forms two corner flaps 23- and 24, joined along the score line 21. This will permit partial pre-assembly, as will be described.

The outer long edges of the end panels 11 are also defined by score lines, as shown at 25, which serve as hinge connections between the panels 11 and panels 26 which will form the sloping walls of hollow angular end walls 5, when the box is set up. A locking strip 27 is joined to the outer edge of each of the panels 26 along score lines 28. Locking strips 27 have locking tabs 29 which project beyond the edges of panels 26. Corner closure flaps 30, which are triangular in shape, are connected to the ends of panels 26 and assist in positioning folded along the aligned score lines 12 and 18 to'cause the panels 13 and 14 to overlie the bottom, and the corner members 20 to overlie the end panels 11, but leaving the corner closure flaps 30 extending outwardly. Panels 14 are folded over the panels 13 and glued thereto, and end sections 24 are glued to the end panels 11 while in this position. The side panels '26 can then be folded about the score lines 25 to overlie the panels 11 and the end portions of the bottom to reduce the overall length of the package. The end closures 30 still remain in their outwardly extending portions. This provides a flat, partially assembled box ready for shipment.

When it is desired to set up the box, the side panels 13 will be lifted from their position overlying the bottom into a vertical position. This will cause the corner members to fold along the diagonal fold lines, lifting the end panels 11 to vertical position and bringing the sections 23 and 24 of the corner members into overlapping relation.

The sloping side panels 26 are then pressed inwardly and downwardly about the score lines 25, and the triangular closure flaps 30, which were left extending outwardly, are simultaneously folded inwardly about the score lines 31 to lie across the ends of the box, to exert pressure against the box ends, to help position the panels 26 and hold them in their inclined positions. At this time, the lock strip 27 will be adjacent the bottom of the box with the locking tabs 29 turned upwardly along the sides of the box. Pressure upon the locking strip will bring it into contact with the bottom and cause the locking tabs 29 to snap into the recesses 17 at the bottom of panels 14 to complete the assembly and lock the several parts firmly in position, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The above described structure provides a very sturdy and easily assembled box, having two hollow, angular ends with sloping inner walls and two straight, double thickness side walls. The entire structure is locked together by the simple snapping of the four locking tabs 29 in the four recesses 17. This box is to receive an insert to complete the container.

The insert used with the basic box in Figures 1 to 7 is shown in its blank form, before folding, in Figure 7. The insert is also die-cut and adapted to be folded into form.

The insert includes an end panel 32 which is approximately the length and width of panels 14 of the basic box. As this end panel is to be inserted between the end closure flaps 30 of the box and the side panels 14 to lie against the side panels, it may have its sides inclined, as at 33, for ease of insertion. End panel 32 is separated by a score line 34 from a panel 35, which will occupy an inclined position when in use, as shown in Figure l, and present the appearance of a third inclined, or sloping, Wall 6 of the box. The sides 36 of panel 35 are inclined to follow the sloping end walls of the box. Locking tabs 37 project from the sides 36 for engagement in slit 38 in the sloping Walls 26 of the box to hold the side edges of panel 35close to the walls 26 to make it appear that the walls 26 of the box and the wall 35 of the insert are all parts of a unitary structure. The panel next adjacent the panel 35 is a spacing or flooring panel 39. which is joined to the panel 35 along the score line 40. Panel 39 rests upon the bottom of the box. The sides of panel 39 are parallel to one another and the panel is just wide enough for its side edges to abut the bottom edges of the sloping walls 26 of the box.

Ridge forming panels 41 and 42 are joined along a score line 43, and the panel 41 connects to the spacing panel 39 along the score line 44. The sides 45 of ridge panel 41 flare outwardly from the spacer panel and the sides 46 of panel '42 converge. Thus, when the ridge panels are bent 4 about the score line 43 to assume an angular position their respective sides will lie flush against the surfaces of the sloping box walls 26. Tabs 47 on panel 41 lock in slits 48 in the panels 26, and the peak of the ridge, that is the ends of the apex formed by the angulanly positioned ridge panels 41 and 42 meeting at the score line 43, fit into V- shaped slits 49 cut in the panels 26.

A second peak, or ridge, formed by ridge panels 50 and 51, is separated from the first by a second spacer panel 52. The several panels are defined by score lines 53 between panels 42 and 52, 54 between panels 52 and 5t), 55 between panels 56 and 51, and 56 between panel 51 and a third spacer panel 57. The panels 50 and 51 each have their side walls outwardly inclined toward the intervening score line 55. Thus, when these panels are bent downwardly about the score line 55 they will fit flush against the sloping walls of the box. The panel 50 has locking tabs 58 at its sides to fit into slits 59 in the box walls 26, and panel 51 has similar tabs 60 to interlock in the slits 61 in the panels 26.

Panel 57 is connected along a score line 62 with an end panel 63, adapted to stand vertically against the side wall panel 14 and support the spacer panel 57 at a distance from the bottom of the box. It is to be noted that in each of the pairs of ridge panels the panel farthest from the sloping wall panel is shorter than the other panel of the pair. This causes the three spacer panels to be POSI- tioned at progressively higher levels, as shown in Figure 4. In order to support the spacer panels 52 and 57 and prevent the insert from sagging, a boxing 64 is folded up from a rectangular sheet of relatively heavy material and put into the box adjacent one end. The top 65 of the boxing is so shaped and positioned at such level relative to the bottom of the box, that both panels 52 and 57 will rest upon it. The particular configuration of the boxing is immaterial to the present invention.

When the insert is to be placed in the box, it is first folded to form the two ridges 7 and the sloping wall 35, and the end panels are turned downwardly. This will provide the contour shown in Figure 4. The insert is placed in the box with the end panel 32 positioned against the vertical side wall closest to the slits 38 in the box walls 26. The tabs 37, which are hook tabs, are then snapped into the slits 38 to lock the panel 35 in position. As the other panels are brought into position, the tabs 47, 58, and 60 are snapped into place in their respective slits in the panels 26 and the apex of the peak formed by the panels 41 and 42 will seat, by downward pressure on the peak, in the angular slits 49. This will bring the ends of the top of the peak formed by panels 50 and 51 down against the top edges of the side panels 26. Thus, the insert will be locked tightly within the box and the several tabs will hold all of the panels in position. The fact that one peak is fixed against upward movement by the slits 49 and the other held against downward movement by the top of the box side provides an extremely rigid interlock of the parts. The shape and fitting of the sloping box walls and the several insert panels makes the composite unit appear to be a unitary structure.

A modified type of insert for use with the basic box has been shown in Figures 9 through 11. As the basic box is the same as before, the same numerals primed have been used to designate the panels. The only change is in the number and position of the locking slits in the sloping end walls of the box.

The insert is shown removed from the box in Figure 9. It is formed from a blank and includes an end panel 66, adapted to rest against a vertical side wall of the box. The sloping wall panel 67 is joined to the end panel along fold line 68, and it has its sides tapered as in the previous form. An inclined floor panel 69 extends from the fold line 70 at the bottom of wall 67 upwardly to the other side of the box. The floor panel is joined to the op posite end panel 71 along the fold line 72. Floor panel 69 is provided with tabs 73 and 74 on each side to engage slits 75 and 76 in the sloping side walls 26 of the box. Sloping panel 67 is also provided with a tab 77 on each side, and these engage in slits 78 in the side walls 26'. All of the tabs are recessed at their ends to form hooks.

In assembling this unit, end panel 66 is first inserted between the straight side of the box and the ends of panels 26, and panel 67 pressed into place and tabs 77 snapped into slits 78 by downward and forward pressure. End panel 71 is then placed in the other end of the box and panel 69 pressed downwardly and forwardly. This pressure will cause the floor panel to shift slightly toward the panel 71 end of the box and the tabs 73 and 74 will be in alignment with slits '75 and 76, as shown at the left of Figure 10, and the tabs will enter the slits. When the panel is released, it' will spring back drawing the hook ends of the tabs into locking position. This position is shown at the right in Figure 10. This snap-in arrangement is made possible by the use of sloping walls on the box.

In both forms of box and insert shown, the composite structure is quite rigid. The sloping walls on the box, together with the sloping insert wall, give a novel panelling effect. In each case, the floor, or bottom, of the insert gradually rises toward the fourth side of the box.

While in the above practical embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that the precise details of construction shown and described are merely by way of illustration, and the invention may take other forms within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a paperboard combination shipping and display container of the type comprising a box and an insert therefor, said box including a bottom, opposed vertical sides, and opposed ends having sloping inner walls converging toward said bottom, said insert comprising vertical end members seated against the opposed vertical sides and between the vertical sides and the ends of the said sloping inner walls, one of said end members being the height of the vertical side against which it rests and the other being shorter, a Wall panel connected to the top of the taller of the end members and extending angularly downward to the bottom of the box, said wall panel bridging the space between the sloping inner walls of the box to appear as a third sloping box wall, ridge forming means extending from the bottom of the wall panel to the top of the shorter end member having its side edges in contact with the sloping inner walls of the box, and means to interlock the insert with the box.

2. In a container as claimed in claim 1, said box ends including vertical end panels integrally connected to the bottom along their lower edges, and said sloping inner walis joined to the vertical end panels along their top edges.

3. In a paperboard combination shipping and display container of the type comprising a box and an insert therefor, said box including a bottom, opposed vertical sides, and opposed hollow ends having sloping inner walls converging toward said bottom, said insert comprising vertical end members seated against the opposed vertical walls and between the vertical walls and the ends of the sloping inner walls, one of said end members being the height of the adjacent vertical wall, a wall panel connected to the top the just-mentioned end member and extending angularly downward to the bottom of the box, said well panel bridging the space between the sloping inner walls of the box to appear as a third sloping box wall, said insert intermediate the bottom of the wall panel and the other of said end members being bent to form two invented V-shaped ridges, one of said ridges terminating below the tops of the sloping inner wall of the box and having its ends seated in inverted V-shaped slits in said sloping inner walls, and the other of said ridges having its ends resting upon the tops of said sloping inner Walls.

4. In a container as claimed in claim 3', said ridges having inclined side edges for ilush engagement with the sloping inner walls.

.5. In a container as claimed in claim 3, spacer panels forming part of said insert and located between said wall panel and the first of said ridges, between said ridges and between the second of said ridges and said other end members, each of said spacer panels in the order named being spaced a greater distance from the bottom of the box than the preceding spacer panel.

6. In a container as claimed in claim 5, means intermediate the bottom of the box and at least some of the spacer panels to hold the spacer panels in spaced relation to said bottom.

7. In a container as claimed in claim 3, means at the sides of said wall panel for engagement with said sloping inner walls to lock said wall panel to said sloping inner walls.

8. In a container as claimed in claim 7, means at the sides of each of said ridges for engagement with the sloping inner walls to lock said ridges to said sloping inner walls.

9. In a paperboard combination shipping and display container of the type comprising a box and an insert therefor, said box including a bottom, opposed vertical sides, and opposed ends having sloping inner walls converging toward said bottom, said insert comprising vertical end members seated against the opposed vertical sides and between the vertical sides and the ends of the said sloping inner walls, one of said end members being the height of the vertical side against which it rests and the other being shorter, a wall panel connected to the top of the taller of the end members and extending angularly downward to the bottom of the box, said wall panel bridging the space between the sloping inner walls of the box to appear as a third sloping box wall, means extending from the bottom of the wall panel to the top of the shorter end member having its side edges in contact with the sloping inner walls of the box, means to interlock the insert with the box, said box ends including vertical end panels integrally connected to the bottom along their lower edges, and said sloping inner walls joined to the vertical end panels along their top edges, triangular tabs connected at the ends of said sloping inner walls and folded to lie at right angles to said sloping inner walls in contact with the bottom and in pressure contact with said vertical end panel to support the corners of the sloping inner walls in desired angular position and give firmness and strength to the container.

'10. In a paperboard combination shipping and display container of the type comprising a box and an insert therefor, said box including a bottom, opposed vertical sides, and opposed ends having sloping inner walls converging toward said bottom, said insert comprising vertical end members seated against the opposed vertical sides and between the vertical sides and the ends of the said sloping inner walls, one of said end members being the height of the vertical side against which it rests and the other being shorter, a wall panel connected to the top of the taller of the end members and extending angularly downward to the bottom of the box, said wall panel bridging the space between the sloping inner walls of the box to appear as a third sloping box wall, means extending from the bottom of the wall panel to the top of the shorter end member having its side edges in contact with the sloping inner walls of the box, means to interlock the insert with the box, said box ends including vertical end panels, integrally connected to the bottom along their lower edges, and said sloping inner walls joined to the vertical end panels along their top edges, said sloping inner walls each having -a locking strip along its lower edge having locking tabs at the ends thereof, said vertical sides having recesses along their lower edges in which said locking tabs seat.

11. A blank from which a box may be folded up comprising, a rectangular bottom panel, side panels connected along opposite sides of the bottom panel and similar additional side panels connected along a fold line to the first-mentioned side panels, said last-mentioned side panels having notches in their free edges, end panels connected along the other edges of the bottom panel, square corner panels between the ends of the first-mentioned side panels and the end panels, said corner panels being scored for folding alongdiagonal lines emanating from the corners of the bottom panel, sloping inner Wall panels having greater panel Width than said end panels attached to the end panels, locking strips connected to the opposite edges of the sloping inner Wall panels, said locking strips having hinged locking tabs at their ends projecting beyond the ends of the sloping Wall panels, and

8 said locking tabs having a configuration complementary to said notches, and triangular end tabs projecting from the ends .of the sloping inner wall panels.

Q References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,690,109 Gross Nov. 6, 1928 2,398,155 Platt Apr. 9, 1946 2,645,353 Anderson July 14, 1953 2,652,921 Foster Sept. 22, 1953 2,735,606 Paige Feb. 21, 1956 2,743,050 Crane Apr. 24, 1956 2,770,410 Williamson Nov. 13, 1956 2,827,219 Sparks Mar. 18, 1958 2,846,133 Burden Aug. 5, 1958 

